Conduit for electric or cable roads



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. H. BATES. GONDUIT FUR ELEGTRIC 0R CABLE ROADS. No. 468,314. Patented Peb. 2, 1892.

2 Shets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

C. H. BATES. CONDUIT EUR ELECTRIC OB. CABLE ROADS.

. Yl 'IW/h@ -ll-ul.rllltl .Bllali P iu n Ga UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE II. BATES, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

'CONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC OR CABLE ROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,314, dated February 2, 1892.

Application tiled January 26,1891. Serial No. 379,013. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE II. BATES, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Conduits for Electric or Cable Roads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in conduits for electric or cable roads; and the object I have in view is to provide a conduit with means for automatically closing the slot in the conduit through which the trolley or grip bar passes into the conduit, and with means on the car for uncovering the slot as the car passes along.

In the accompanyingl drawings, forming part of this specicatiou, Figure l is a transverse section showing the trolley in the conduit and the conduit-slot uncovered. Fig. 2 is a similar vieur showing the slot closed and the trolley farther' along in the conduit. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the trolley with brushes arranged on the trolley-wheel. Fig. 4; is a longitudinal section of a portion of the conduit, showing a portion of a car and the means for opening the slot. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the conduit. Figs. G, 7, 8, and 9 are details of the closing-strip. Fig. lO is adetail view of the preferred means for supporting the closing-strip. Figs. Il, 12, 13, and 14 are details of modifications.

In the drawings, 2 represents the conduit, which may b e of any preferred construction. It is provided at the top with the closingplates 5, between which is a slot through which the trolley-arm or the grip-arm passes.

The conduit may contain a cable or electric conductors. I have here shown an electric conductor 7, arranged upon suitable brackets or supports 9, that are secured in any convenient manner Within the conduit.

A flexible strip l1 is arranged within the conduit and is adapted to close the slot at the top of the conduit. This strip is preferably narrower at the top than at the bottom, so as to tit into the slot without passing through it and so as to be capable of being depressed and moved ont of the slot. The strip 1l is supported by a series of weighted arms 13, that are pivoted on suitable support-s in the conduits and are connected to the under side of the strip. These arms tend to hold the strip in position in the slot, While permitting it to be depressed as the trolley or grip arm passes along in the slot. For the purpose of depressing the strip I prefer to provide a carriage or truck l5, that is secured to and moves with the grip or trolley arm. This truck is preferably provided with the Wheels 17, that run upon suitable rails I8, that are suitably supported at opposite sides of the conduit-slot, being secured in any suitable manner either to the under side of the top of the conduit or to any other suitable support. This truck or carriage is provided with a central roll 19, having preferably beveled ilanges, and the truck rides upon the top of the flexible strip 1l. The strip is thereby depressed,being held up against the under side of the roll 19 by the Weighted arms hereinbefore referred to. As the truck passes along in the conduit the strip ll is depressed, uncovering the slot, and then closing automatically after the truck has passed. This truck also carries the means for engaging the cable or a conductor for engaging the electric wire. I have shown a suitable arm 2l, that is secured to this truck and carries a trolley-wheel 23 that bears upon the conductor. In some instances the conductor may be protected by the inclined plates 25, arranged over it, and the trolley-wheel may have brushes 27 secured to it, as shown in Fig. 3, for the pur pose of removing the dust from the plates 25 as the trolley passes along over the conductor. The arms I3 may be connected to the flexible strip Il in any suitable manner. In Figs. l and 2 I have shown this strip provided with staples or eyes 29 and the ends of the arms 13 inthe form of hooks engaging said staples. In Figs. lO and la I have shown plates 35, riveted or otherwise secured to the under side of the strip ll and provided with depending lugs 33. The ends of the arms 13 project between these lugs, and a pivot 36 extends through the lugs and through the end of the arms, forming a pivotal connection therein. This permits of a pivotal play between the strip and the arms as a portion of the strip is depressed by the truck, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. lO. The connection between the strip and the plates is made by means of rivets or other equivalent device extending through slotted openings in the IOO plate, thereby permitting a slight movement of the stripas it expands andcontracts. The strip, if it is found necessary to make a joint therein, may be connected by means of the plate 37 and bolts 39, extending through slotted openings in the plate 37, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, permitting an expansion and contraction of the strip. It will be noted that by this means I provide an automatic closing device for the slot in the conduit, which may be depressed as the cars pass along and Which will immediately close thereafter and will exclude all dust, dirt, snow, and Water from the conduit. Suitable provision may be made, however, for taking off Water from the conduit should any collect'therein. I also prefer to provide in connectionv With thecar that is used with this device an adjustable plow 41, that issecured upon the'car and provided with a lever 43, by which it may be raisedY and lowered `and adapted to come directly over the slot in the conduitgso that as the foar passesl along -any snow. that accu-- mulates overthe top of the conduit will be removed. For thefpurpose of Weighting-fthe arms 13, I 'may provide a flexible rod 5l, that is secured upon the rear ends of the arms and by which the rear -ends Will be depressed for the purpose of holding the stripin-position to close vthe slot.

While I have shown and described Weighted armsfor holding V the flexible strip'in its position, it is obviousthat other means-suchas suitable spring-'controlled devices-may be used infplace of the Weighted arms, and in the detail, Figs. 11 and 12,\I have shown the flexible strip fl l secured upon the ends of rods 53, that are held imposition in suitable pro-- jections or brackets 55 and are supported by means of the spiralsprings57. By this means it will be seerithat the -iiexible strip 11 will beheld in position to close the slotin the conduit.;l Any suitable spring might be used for holding the fiexible strip `in position While permitting it to yield for the purpose of opening the slot, and any suitable means maybe used for depressing-the Iiexifble strip, andin Fig.;11 I have shown a lWheel 59, that may be supporteduponthe car by a yoke 6l and that is provided with Aa central fla-nge 63, that is adapted to project into the slot in the conduit andvdepress the flexible strip. The circumference of this Wheel upon each side of theduit adapted to contain a cable or an electric u conductor and provided With a longitudinal Slot or opening adapted to permit a grip or trolley arm to enter the conduitand engage said cable or electric conductor, of a flexible closing-strip and yielding supporting devices arranged to hold said strip in said slot andV permitting it to be moved downward and out of the slot and into the conduit as the grip or trolley arm passes along the slot.

2. 1The combination, with the slotted conduit, of a continuous flexible strip adapted to close the slot in the conduit, and the series of yielding support-s engaging said strip and holding it in said slot and arranged to permit said strip to be moved down out of the slot, so as to permit a grip or trolley arm passing along in the slot to engagea cable or electric conductor' supported inl said' conduit.`

3. The combination,-With the slotted-conduit-,of the flexible strip arranged 'to Vclose the yslot -in said'conduit; and the vseries of Weighted arms engagingsai'd strip and hold# ing it in said slot and adapted to permit said stripto be `depressed into the lower part of the conduitto allow the-temporary:admittance of a trolleyor grip arm extending down through theslot and carrying meansA for en'- gagingthe cable-or electric conductor arranged fin' said conduit, substantially las de` scribed.-

4.. The Combination, withthes10aedc0nduit', of the flexible strip'adaptedto close the slotin the conduit,verticallyyieldingsupportsengaging said strip, a caryacable or conductor arranged in said conduit, the Wheel-roller ar ranged in said conduitrand vvliollyf beneath thev upper surfaces thereof f and adaptedV to pass along the upperedge of said flexible strip, andan armextending vfrom the car and carrying atrolley devicef'o'r gripadapted toengagesaid conductor or cable-in the conduit,

substantially as described.`

5. The combination,` With-the slottedcom duit, of the flexible strip adaptedto closethe slot Vin `the conduit, vertically-yielding supports for said strip, afcar, and a roll or Wheel arranged Wholly Within said conduit and car ried by the car and engaging said strip t'or the purpose of pressing it down outfofth'e slot as the car passes along the'conduit ,to

permit a grip or trolley arranged in connec `to hold it out of the slot asthe truck passes `along in the conduit, substantially as described.

7. The combina-tion, with the slotted conduit, of the flexible closing-strip and the se- IOC 'IIO

ries of weighted arms having a pivoted connection with said strip.

8. The combination, with a conduit having a downwardly-flaring slot, of a flexible strip adapted Vto enter the same from below, a car, a trolley-arm carried thereby, a wheel or roll provided on said arm and adapted to engage said strip to press the saine down, and a trolley or grip arm arranged in connection with the saine and extending into the slot through the opening temporarily formed between the edges of the slot and the depressed flexible strip, substantially as described.

9. The combination, of the conduit having the slot arranged in its upper surface and of an inverted-V shape, with a V-sbaped leXible metallic strip adapted to fit said slot and close the same, vertically-yielding supports for said strip, an electric conductor or cable arranged in said circuit, a car-track, a car adapted to move thereon, the trolley-arm extending therefrom down through said slot and carrying a trolley or grip arm Within said conduit, and a roll or wheel arranged on said trolleyarn1 and wholly within said conduit, said roll with the arm adapted to press down said V-shaped strip to open the slot as the grip is advanced, thereby allowing said arln to move through the slot unobstructed, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the conduit having the slot of the inverted-V shape, of a flexible metallic closing-strip adapted to fit within said slot, vertically-yielding supports for said flexible strip, and a yielding connection between said supports, whereby expansion and contraction of said strip may take place without displacement of said supports, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21stday of January, 1891.

CLARENCE H. BATES.

In presence of A. G. PAUL, O. G. HAWLEY. 

